#Classic: The Mill on the Floss
- Author: G. Eliot
- Title: The Mill on the Floss
- Published: 1860
- Plot: Wikipedia
- List of Challenges
- Monthly plan
- Classic Club Master list
Finished: 09.02.2019
Genre: novel
Rating: C
#AudioBook 19 hr – narrator Eileen Atkins
Conclusion:
- This book has been on my TBR since 2010!
- I have finally read this auto-biographical classic by G. Eliot.
- Spanning over a period of 10 years,
- The Mill on the Floss follows the coming of age of the
- …beautiful and idealistic Maggie
- …as she experiences family tragedy, forbidden love and
- the wrath of the English patriarchy.
- The 1+2 books were a (too) long exposition of
- family and childhood Maggie and brother Tom.
- Eliot in part 1 wants to expose the differences between brother and sister.
- TOM: “I’d do just the same again.” That was his usual mode of viewing his past actions.
- MAGGIE: Maggie was always wishing she had done something different.
- TOM: “Yes, you’re silly; but I never do forget things, I don’t.” (holds grudges like his father)
- MAGGIE: “I’d forgive you, if you forgot anything–I wouldn’t mind what you did–I’d forgive you…”
- TOM: …instinctive discernment of what would turn to his advantage or disadvantage
- MAGGIE: rushed to her deeds with passionate impulse.
- Theme: forgiveness is the thread throughout the book
- Book 3 – 5 reveals adult loves and friendships
- Part 6 – must be one of the longest ‘break-up’s in literature!
- Part 7 – the river is the symbol of life and death.
- I was impressed by Eliot’s writing but needed
- a combination of audio listen and download Gutenberg.org book
- ….to keep me reading through long, long (preachy) speeches by Maggie.
- #Classic but you have to be committed to finish it!
4 Comments
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NancyElin 
I’m planning to read this sometime this year. Thanks for making me look forward to it even more!!
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Cleo, if part 1 seems endless I noted some items to indicate what Eliot meant to reveal:
Eliot in part 1 wants to expose the differences between brother and sister.
TOM: “I’d do just the same again.” That was his usual mode of viewing his past actions.
MAGGIE: Maggie was always wishing she had done something different.
TOM: “Yes, you’re silly; but I never do forget things, I don’t.” (holds grudges like his father)
MAGGIE: “I’d forgive you, if you forgot anything–I wouldn’t mind what you did–I’d forgive you…”
TOM: …instinctive discernment of what would turn to his advantage or disadvantage
MAGGIE: rushed to her deeds with passionate impulse.
Theme: forgiveness is the thread throughout the book.
Before I went any further…I made a sketch of the family tree (mother, father, brother, sister and aunts and uncles from both sides). It is important to know who Aunt Glegg, Pullet and Deane are (..all sisters of Maggie’s mother Mrs. Tulliver) ….because they are woven in all the parts!
Hope you enjoy the book!
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I read this about 20 yrs ago & I didn’t pick up on the autobiographical element, but I did pick up on some of the long, tedious monologues. Enjoyed Middlemarch far more.
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thanks for you comments…and I agree Middlemarch is Eliot’s masterpiece.
This book pales in comparison!
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